A version of this wonderful Chanel pant and top set was featured in the ad campaign for 1996 that featured Amber Valletta. Both pieces are made of a silk that is very light and easy to wear. It has the added bonus of being made up of two pieces so can be worn together or you can mix and match with other pieces already in your wardrobe. The pants are the twin of the ones used in the ad campaign, They have a fitted hip and waist and the pant legs are cut long and lean with a straight cut that has just a touch of width to them. The top has a button down cut with neat, pointed collar and long sleeves. It is cut to be worn more loose and easy through the body and can be worn tucked in or left out. Pockets sit on each side of the bust for detailing. The pattern is fabulous with its combination of the signature Chanel camellia mixed with that classic double C logo. "Chanel" is also written across the fabric in script from top to bottom. It is wonderful. Excellent condition.

Both pieces are unlined. The pants close with a side zipper and button at the waist, The top buttons down the front and has buttons on each cuff. Tagged a vintage 34. Appears unworn 

Top
Shoulders: 16.5" across
Sleeves: 22.5" long
Bust: to 19" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 20" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 22" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Length: 29" from neck to hem

Pants
Waist: 12" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 17" flat across the back from side seam to side seam
Pant: 40.5" from waist to cuff
Inseam: 29"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2046

Reference photos: Amber Valletta for Chanel Resort 1996 Ad  / Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy in New York  /  Amanda Lee Shirreffs (see the complete blog post on this look here)

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This exceptional and rare, Haute Couture dress from Valentino Haute Couture, is wonderful. The dress is simply cut and belies the numerous couture details that become apparent as you look at it more closely. The dress has a simple scooped and angled neckline at both the front and the back. Sitting across the neckline and forming the sleeves is silk chiffon that has been hand placed and stitched into soft pleats. These are set at different angles and become an important design detail. They also often a matte contrast to the sheen of the silk velvet below. The fabric chosen feels like it has a life on its own and the blue catches the light beautifully. It is soft and fluid and the perfect contrast to the the simple shift shape the dress has been cut into. This is Haute Couture under the masterful hand of Mr Valentino himself and is an exceptional example of Valentino Couture. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in handset, very high quality blue silk. All couture construction and it closes with a hand set, fine metal zipper at the back.

Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 39.5" from natural neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2837

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

During the 1950s, Yma Sumac was a singing superstar. She was known for her extreme vocal range, which was said to be 'well over five octaves'. She had tremendous style and combined the look of traditional Incan clothing with the high 1950's glamour of Hollywood for a look that was uniquely her own. When she passed away in 2008 most of her clothing ended up in the hands of her long time assistant Damon, and he eventually released most out for sale. Those were immediately snatched up by collectors and fans worldwide and her pieces have become harder and harder to find as time passes because they are squirreled away in private collections around the world. I am very pleased to have this beautiful and extremely well-documented robe for you in the shop.

This is a stunning robe or evening coat that is extremely well documented. It is from Saks Fifth Avenue and would have most likely been a design collaboration between Yma and Sophie Gimbel who was in charge of, and designed for, the couture salon during this time period. Yma was photoed in this robe and she also sat for a portrait in the robe. It was obviously a favored piece of hers to have been worn for two occasions like that. The robe is made of a pale green silk of a good weight, with a matching silk lining on the interior. The sleeves are finished with wide cut, black velvet cuffs, that I have rolled down so you can see just how wide the are. In the reference photo and the photo of her portrait, Yma has worn them folded up and you could wear them either depending on how long you want the sleeves to hang. The front edges of the robe are finished with the same black velvet. I love the way it widens dramatically as it nears the hem as this gives the robe tremendous movement and a sense of drama as you walk. It is truly extraordinary and it is a privilege to have a piece in the shop from a woman that in in 2010 'V' fashion magazine voted as one of the 'Top 5 World Muses'. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a matching heavy silk. It has no closures. Perhaps a touch of grubbiness to the edge of the hem and there is a scuff on the inner silk near a seam. All extremely minor and do not detract. The open cut allows this to fit a large variety of sizes

Sleeves: 20"
Shoulders: 19.5"
Bust: 23.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: open
Hips: open
Length: 59" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: OSFA

Item# DD2648

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

Jean Patou pieces are not a label you see available often and I love when I find such a wonderful example as this one is. The house had some pretty big names pass through after Mr. Patou's death in 1936, including Karl Lagerfeld  (which I believe this is) and Christian Lacroix. This beautifully draped dress is very flattering once on, is so comfortable to wear, and has stunning lines. The silk jersey fabric drapes perfectly on the body and the generous cut will allow a variety of sizes to wear it. The skirt flows to the ground from the banded detailing at the waist. There is a surprising amount of fabric used to construct it so that you get lots of movement when you walk or move. It is supermodel length long and this adds to the illusion of extra height that it gives you. The waist is highlighted and nips in with the banding across the front. The front is gathered in all along the upper edge of the waist band and the entire bodice is draped with sleeves that are cut out from the waist to give it a draped caftan feel. Those sleeves are fantastic wide and the drama of the sleeves is the perfect contrast tot he easy cut and fabric choice. A chic V neckline gives the dress the perfect finishing detail. Excellent condition.

Unlined and slips on the wear with an partial inner waist stay and has a side handset, painted metal zipper.

Sleeves: 25" approx.
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: open
Waist: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 17" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 44" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-XL

Item# DD2293

Reference Photo: Worn by Cherie, Founder of Shrimpton Couture, on her Instagram. (Photo by Erin Leydon)  Click here to go to Instagram >

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

Christian LaCroix was the master at creating the most fantastical gowns imaginable and I am immensely pleased to have this example of his work in the shop. It is just a masterpiece and truly a work of art. The body of the dress is strapless and fitted, cut and shaped to curved around the body. like a sculpted draping The sweetheart bodice is peaked higher on one side and the fabric is hand draped and shaped across the bust. The right side is a soft curve and the left side is set to sit higher and more pronounced. The fabric on that side is actually wired along its inner edge so you can create the shape you wish. It allows you to shape it to extend high up and be more dramatic, or push it to flare more outward, or shape it to lie flat against you at the height you wish. A curving, swirling appliqué of leather that has been top stitched and embroidered trails down the front and into the lower skirting. The lower portion of the gown is fitted to hug your curves and at one side has a high slit that runs right up the upper thigh. This slit is kept from being completely scandalous by the way the gown is shaped and the fabric is wrapped around the body. The skirt opposite to the slit cascades to the floor with gathered poufs and a large bow. It trails out and past the floor to create a train. The contrast of the purple that you see under the olive of the outside silk perfectly emphasizes and highlights every line of the design. It is magnificent. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a purple silk and the outer skirts and dress are self backed in purple. There is a full bra/corset built into the bodice and it is lightly boned. There is also some type of stiffening fabric through the bodice for structure and shape. It closes with a two zippers  - an exterior one and an interior one that closes the inner corset. Tagged with the mainline demi-couture LaCroix tag.

Bust: to 16" flat across the back with upon to a B cup built in, maybe a small C
Inner corset waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length to shortest portion: 33" from top to hem
Length of the shorter of the two skirt: 49.5" from top to hem
Length to the hem of the train: 65.5" from top to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2429

Reference Photo: F/W 2005 Christian Lacroix Runway Collection, Look 59. Model: Tiiu Kuik.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

For the Vogue review of the Spring 2016 Vetements show, Sarah Mower stated: The entity that goes under the name Vetements has caused quite a quake through fashion—bottom-up, from nowhere. Just when—by looking at mainstream corporate luxury-goods norms—it seemed that cool was dead and buried and nothing “alternative” could ever again survive, along came a couple of brothers, Demna and Guram Gvasalia, and their collective of friends, to prove skeptics wrong....At top speed, Demna Gvasalia and his co-conspirators confirmed everything their following likes about their off-kilter, elegant, giant-jacketed tailoring and clunky romantic dresses, and then bettered it all. ...Then came the dresses, in a stunning number of new, colorful, and punchy-sophisticated ideas....Demna Gvasalia himself learned the ropes at Maison Martin Margiela, before setting up Vetements and getting on with proving that there can be a different way of doing things. Apart from their stylistic insights into what people really want to wear, it feels like the beginning of something else, too—perhaps something like the power of niceness and friendship in an industry that could do with a lot more of that."

This dress was one of the favored among the street style set and was photoed endlessly it seemed for various editorials. It sold out world wide and was wait listed. It is impossible to find even now and I am very pleased to have sourced one that has never been worn and is absolutely pristine. It feels as fresh and avant garde as it did then and will absolutely be a future collectible. The color is a deep red and the cut is oversized. The body of the dress is made of layers of a chiffon and the sleeves and all the ruffles are made out of a heavier, stiffened fabric that gives them shape and structure. I love that the sleeves are cut in a very traditional carving line. The shoulders sit extra wide and are meant to be prominent. The skirt is set asymmetrically and this was the beginning of this detailing that has gone on to become one of their signatures in current collections. It is remarkable and a true piece of fashion history that will only increase in value as time passes. Unworn with all original tags attached. Excellent condition

Lined in the same chiffon and slips on to wear. Tagged an XS but is meant to be worn over-sized. It will fit a range of sizes because of this. Original tags attached

Sleeves: 29"
Shoulders: 17.5"
Bust: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 17" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 29" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-LRG

Item# DD2830

Reference Photos: (1) S/S 2016 Vetements, Look 34.  /  (2) Vetements Outfits Photographed by Inez + Vinoodh, Vogue, March 2016.  /  (3) Bella Hadid in Vetements, ELLE US, February 2016. Photo by Dan Martensen.

This garment has never been worn and is in its original new with tags condition. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

In the Vogue review for this collection Sarah Mower noted: "Miuccia Prada had a sound bite for her Spring collection. "It's primitive," she said, "going back to what counts." ... When the chips are down, there is no one who can turn up the thermostat of subversive sexual provocation quite as high as Mrs. Prada. Her girls, their skin glistening as if on a fevered summer's night, might have been passing through on their way to or from lovers' assignations, their clothes disarranged in various states of falling-off or looking as if they might do so at any moment. Rumpled and crinkled fabrics have been appearing all over this season, but never with such sly intent. One pull of a trailing drawstring tape and, whoops! A person could find herself half naked. There was something fabulously Italian about all this shameless reveling in femininity. The fifties overtones, with the high chignons, the ruched bras, and swishing rear action in the below-knee pencil skirts, managed to channel the heyday of Cinecittà without cliché. Best of all, this is a collection destined to look even better on a woman with a real body than it does on a teen model. And that, Mrs. Prada surely knows, really is "what counts.""

 The dress is amazing and was one of the standouts in the show. These were photoed everywhere and this snake print was one of the biggest looks of the season. This dress is particularly fabulous because of its amazing cut. It has that sexy, fitted fifties feel to it and the open sides are shocking when you catch that glimpse of bare skin. The fabric is deliberately rumpled and crinkled and I love the slimming effect the panels of black on either side of the print have on the body. It skims over your curves and ends just past the knee. On the side it buttons and is partially closed over the hip area and then up the side it ties to close allowing you to tie or loosen it to fit as you please. At the top of the shoulder it ties. Really one of the stand out Prada pieces and it feels as wearable now as it did then, perhaps even more so. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes at the side as described above. Tagged a Prada 40.

Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 35.5" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2829

Reference Photos: (1-2) Look 26 from S/S 2009 Prada Collection.  /  (3) S/S Prada Ad Campaign by Steven Meisel.  /  (4) Racquel Zimmerman in Prada for US Vogue March 2009. Photo by David Sims.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

The twin of this jacket in the same unique colour as this one was featured in the Rive Gauche runway show. It s a wonderful example of his work during this period

If you are looking for full on luxury, then this is the jacket for you. It's timeless lines will go with almost anything and it is made from a rich, thick, luxurious cashmere with just a touch of wool added for structure. It is a beautiful fabric clad so soft and warm. The colour is amazing - it is a deep greyish purple but has just a touch of an undertone colour to it that seems to take on different hues in different lights - sometimes more black, sometimes a hint of blue and sometimes a deep purple. We have managed to capture it pretty accurately in these photos and it is even better on person. The shoulders are squared off and the body is cut to have a suggestion of shape at the waist. Pockets sit on each hip. The finishing details add to the rich feel of the jacket. All of the edges are finished with a thick, flat braided cord. This circles the hem, runs up the front and around the notched collar and finishes each cuff. At the front, the jacket closes with huge braided leather loops that fasten over big leather buttons. Each sleeve has two more of those huge buttons and the buttons holes there are functional which shows the high quality of the piece. It looks to have never been worn or worn very little. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a deep midnight purple silk and closes at the front. Tagged a vintage YSL 36 but has a very oversized cut that shouldl allow it to fit a variety of sizes depending on how you want to wear it.

Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: 17"
Bust: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 28.5" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# S788

Reference Photos: F/W 1990 Yves Saint Laurent.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This particular version of the Thea Porter label was only produced between October 1971-March 1972 and this gown was part of the 1971 collection. It is a beautiful example of her work and I am pleased to share that its twin was part of the 2015 Thea Porter exhibit at the London Museum of Textile and Fashion. Curator of that exhibit and Fashion Historian Laura McClaws Helms who is a contributor to my blog, also was kind enough to confirm that the print on this piece was by Janet Taylor. It would have been screen printed and then had some paint sprayed onto it by hand. Selfridges ran an ad campaign that same season and used another version of the dress as part of that giving it additional documentation. Note that the use of the "The Cream" was not the name of the dress, that appeared on all of the ads in the series that season regardless of the designer highlighted. I have also seen this dress refereed to as "The Cosmic" but according to Laura, who is perhaps the worlds foremost expert on Thea porter, the print did not have a particular name.

It is a beautiful example of her work with a printed cotton voile whose semi-sheerness is kept non-scandalous by white muslin lining underneath. The front dips down into a scoop and the bodice is fitted with a wide black panel that wraps around the chest area. The waistline sits high up under the bodice and the skirt flows down and out from there. Each sleeve is beautiful with a full, wide cut that flares out over the the wrists to make a wonderfully dramatic statement. The skirt also flares out to mid length in a wonderful swirl of fabric and pattern. The print is fabulous and this is instantly recognizable Thea. Museum quality condition with some small notes to review below

Fully lined in a white muslin and closes with a back painted metal zipper. There is some color run and marks on the interior lining of the skirt and I do see some color run from the purple here and there. These were notorious for this because of how the dying process was done so I do not consider this a true flaw. The pattern is so extensive that you only notice upon close inspection anyway. I photoed the worst area on one sleeve. There is a touch of "wrinkling" to the fabric under the arms that stayed out even after its initial cleaning. 

Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 13.5"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 13" from neck to waist
Skirt: 39" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2812

Reference Photos: My own photo of the twin of the dress at the exhibit at the London Museum of Textile and Fashion; 1971 Selfridges ad campaign.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

The label on this dress instantly gives us a date of between 1970-1974. 1970 was the year Janice Wainwright launched her own label and after 1974 her labels only carry her name, not the full ‘Janice Wainwright at Forty Seven Poland Street,’ that we see here. These four years are what has forever defined Janice and her work. She excelled at these embroidered pieces and the Art Deco inspiration she loved flourished and became one of her signatures.

This set is amazing and really a museum worthy set. Pieces by her of this quality are harder and harder to find. As mentioned above, it has the added bonus of having the coveted, earliest Janice Wainwright at Forty Seven Poland Street label. Pieces with this label are from the beginning of her career and for me, really showcase her talent and are among the very best of her work. It is two separate pieces and the base of both is a black chiffon. Both pieces simply slip on and are very easy to wear. The top "tabard" cut top is fabulous. It is cut into a wide T shaped on both the front and back. This allows the sleeves to be wide and have a kimono feel to them and the front drop over the skirt like an apron. It has elastic that runs through the waist and it ties at each side.  Her signature embroidery is done in sharp geometric angles that follow the cut of the tabard on both sides. The pink and green pop wonderfully against the black. Under this sits a skirt that is completely finished with Fortuny felling pleat finish. It is full length and the solid black of it serves as the perfect base for that spectacular top. Excellent condition

The top is fully lined with the same chiffon fabric as the exterior and slips over the head with elastic all through the wide waist band and ties at each side. The skirt is also lined and closes with a zipper and hook at the waistband.

Top
Length: 54.5" top to bottom
Width: 32.5" side to side

Skirt
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 44.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2811

Reference Photos: Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture, by Erin Leydon. (See more on Instagram)

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

I also have listed a second, similar pant suit set that has a Micheal Novarese label and I was told by my client that that this one was also by him although it no longer has a label. (see the other one here). The fabric is signed on the inner hem salvage "Summer Day" by Boll Poole for Onondaga Silk - who were a US based silk mill that provided custom fabric for couture and high end design houses as far back as 1933.

This particular set is wonderful. The cut of both pieces is based entirely on the design that covers the fabric. The fabric itself is amazing. It is a rich, heavy silk with green base. Onto this is screened an intricate and detailed print that depicts a full meadow scene. Dragonflies and flowers adorn the surface of the silk. Both the dragonflies and flowers are completely made of sequins. The cuffs, hems and bottom of the pants are circled in green sequins that make the grass over which they fly. It is magical. The pants are flat fronted and have a slightly flared leg. The tunic sits over the pants, skimming the torso and flaring out at the hip. It has a high neck and long sleeves and how they pick up that same sequin pattern as the pants. I love that it is two pieces that you can break up and wear them separateif you want. Michael Novarese designed gowns for many of the stars during the 1960s through to the 1980s including Jane Russell, Liza Minelli, Judy Garland, Dinah Shore and Elizabeth Taylor.  I love his work and this is one of the best pieces I have seen of his. Excellent condition

Both pieces are fully lined in an off-white silk. The tunic closes with a hand set back painted metal zipper and the pants close with a hand set zipper and hook & eye at the waist. Hand finished throughout. Made to demi-couture standards.

Tunic
Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 26.5" from neck to hem

Pants
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 41" from waist to hem
Inseam: 28"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2210

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This spectacular gown designed by the American couturier, James Galanos shows how he combined that sense of American sensibility with Parisian glamour. It is chic and sophisticated and yet it is bold design and in his fabric choices. Galanos was particularly known for his evening wear and this gown is an amazing example of his work. His work was on par with French couture and the workmanship is fabulous. He is considered one of the great American couturiers and his gowns reflect this in terms of construction and quality. Galanos dressed actresses, socialites, even First Lady Nancy Reagan and his work is held in the collections of all of the major museums around the globe. Hie work was selling for as high as $20,000 a dress by the eighties whoich works out to be about $60,000 + in today's dollars.

This gown combines black and gold stripes and he uses two different fabrics to create a beautiful contrast in texture. On the skirt the black stripes are contrasted with a muted gold stripe on a silk taffeta. On the bodice he chose a black silk velvet with gold stripes made from gold lame thread. The bodice is constructed like a simple tee that skims over the body and has a nod to sportswear in its design. Below this the skirt is set into the waist in tiny gathers all the way around. The skirt itself is fabulous and is deceptively sexy. At first glance it looks and falls like a ball gown skirt but upon closer inspection you see that is is made from three panels. The full back one and then two on each side at the front. In between each and down the front you have a high slit that shows a flash of leg when you sit or move. Under the silk panels is a layer of tulle that is edged in gold. A row of functioning gold buttons go from the waist to the top of the slit at the front. It is amazing. Excellent condition.

The gown in fully lined in a soft, fine black silk through the bodice and the skirt has attached layers of gold edged tulle under the top silk skirting. It closes with a back, hidden set zipper. Hand finished. Functional buttons along the top front of the skirt. It appears to have never been worn.

Shoulders: 15"

Bust: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 17" from neck to waist
Skirt: 42.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2357

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

Similar Fortuny gowns are held in museums and private collections world-wide and they are becoming increasingly hard to find. A version in green is a part of the permanent collection at The Costume Institute of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (pictured). The description of that gown is so wonderful I thought I would share it with you here verbatim:

"Mariano Fortuny created a number of variations of his pleated silk gowns. In this model, he combined elements of the classical chiton and the peplos. A "tunic" is attached along its neckline to a long sleeveless underdress, suggesting the apoptygma of the classical peplos. This effect is further emphasized by the handkerchief points at either hip, which would have been seen on the sides of an authentic apoptygma. In the ancient Grecian peplos, the arm openings were positioned along the neckline edge rather than the sideseam edges. This resulted in a dipping hemline at either side of the garment when worn. Fortuny took this structural attribute and achieved the similar, purely decorative effect by cutting away at the tunic's front and back hem. Further, he interpreted the buttoned or pinned closings characteristic of a chiton's shoulder seams by connecting the topline seam of the tunic's sleeves with Venetian glass beads interlaced with silk "rat tail" cording. Fortuny was noted for his antiquarian intentions and scholarly treatment of classical dress, yet in the end, he invented rather than replicated a Hellenic style."

This beautiful version is a labeled Mariano Fortuny gown, circa 1907-1920. It is not perfect but still wearable and a wonderful example of his work. It's imperfections mean a huge difference in price. In hunting for a  comparable I found the very few examples out there to range from $10,500 - $16.500 and none were anywhere near this glorious color.

The dress is hand dyed to an deep raspberry, the pleated silk has a corded silk drawstring at the neck, short kimono style sleeves and an attached tunic with pointed side panels all of which are weighted with deep red, Venetian glass striped beads. The gown is in good condition. The silk is strong and wearable with no splits in the pleats. The pleats have softened throughout and this is the primary reason for the reduction in price. From a wearability point of view it has no effect and gives the gown a softer, more romantic, billowing feel. The beads that should lie along the arm to close it like the one you see from the Met are missing. You could tack the arm shut where a bead would be but I actually loved the open feel that gives it a modern look so chose to leave it as found. I see one spot that is lost in the folds and if held to the light perhaps a tiny pinhole or two but nothing alarming. Even the one from the MET seems to have the same softening of the pleats and I believe this occurs partly from age and partly as a result of the pleats being moved more in this area when worn. All the beads are present along the sides and bottom edge of the tunic. The color, style of sleeve and type of beads used place this in the very early years of Fortuny's career. It is signed along the tape at the seam.

It is 69" long from the mid neck at the back to the hem and the width will accommodate pretty much any size. The upper inside bodice is lined in a nude silk that is fully intact. Part of the seam was loose and I had it lightly tacked down along the edge.

Note that antique and twenties pieces are final sale. They will be packed exceedingly well and we only sell pieces that will stand up to the stress of shipping, however, having pieces potentially shipped multiple times through multiple customs and countries is too hard on garments that are historically important and deserve to be treated with love and care. Please purchase accordingly.

Modern Sizing Equivalent: OSFA

Item# DD2801

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This is an incredible Thea Porter dress that is absolutely beautiful. When it came to me it was a grubby, dirty cream but once it was properly cleaned I was thrilled to see it in its original crisp white once again. Thea did make wedding dresses and this may have been intended for that use originally. It can be worn for just about any occasion given its cut and lines but would also make a beautiful choice for the bride who wants something different. Thea always began with the fabric when she designed and chose fabrics whose unique attributes then became a part of the design itself whether by texture, color or design. Here we have a beautiful embroidered muslin that appears to be all hand work. I know that Thea often sourced antique fabrics for her work and that is exactly how this feels to me - a Victorian summer weight cotton that is embroidered throughout. Very romantic. The cut is a play on her "Gypsy" design and has the low bodice and seaming that is typical of her work. The edging is done in a deep cream, flat velvet which add a pretty contrast to the white. The sleeves are incredible and with a pin-tuck seaming that gives them fullness through the shoulder and arm before it narrows at the wrists. Appliqued to the front are three butterflies - each a different size, that are embellished with pearls and beads and have a few prong set rhinestones scattered around them. It is an incredibly beautiful piece and very romantic. Excellent condition.

Unlined and has a touch of transparency. It closes with a back painted metal zipper and ties at the top of the keyhole at the front. Each cuff snaps to close with hidden snaps. I added some extra close ups of the fabric and details as the full length photos lose the details because of the light and the dress being white. It is stunning in person.

Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 10.5" from neck to waist
Skirt: 46.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2794

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This is certainly later Halston but still from the time period when he was alive and would have still owned the company. it was featured in an ad for B. Altman’s that’s ran in Vogue so we have an exact date of 1983. In it you can see his move to more modern fabric and feel of the 1980s in it's cut, while still maintaining his signature simplicity. The silhouette is his classic one shoulder design but inside there is far more structure then his earlier pieces would have had. Here he utilizes the stretch lingerie weight nude nylon "bandage" fabric that would have still been a fairly new innovation then, and creates a inner built in bodice that gives support to the wearer. Over this is a matte silk satin and a black crepe falls from there into a slim skirt. Attached ties wrap around the high set waist and tie for detail and at the back the skirt has been wrapped with a panel left to flutter down the side with a backing of the same silk satin as the bodice. Excellent condition.

The bodice is lined as described above and the skirt self backed with a satin finish. It closes at the side with adjustable lingerie hooks at thew side bust and then the fabric wraps and hooks along the back with a series of hook & eye concealed along the seam. The attached ties wrap and tie at the waist.

Bust: the hooks are set at 16", 17" & 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14.5" from top of shoulder to waist
Skirt: 32" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2787

Reference photos: (1) Vogue Magazine, April 1983.  /  (2-3) Spring 1983 Halston Runway.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This fabulous set is by Claude Montana and is a favorite. Montana designed for strong woman and his pieces always pushed the envelope and defined the female form in a way that felt sculptural. Once worn together these look like a dress but it is actually two separate pieces - a body suit and a wrap skirt. The base of both pieces feels like a starched polished cotton and this fabric choice gives the pieces that little bit of body they need to give them the shape he wished them to have. Montana was a genius at creating structure with fabric while still allowing the body to be able to move freely. The bodysuit has a high, squared off neckline with straps the curve around and down  to the waist leaving the back bare. The skirt is fabulous. It wraps and hooks into place and has a signature mirrored piece set at the waist for detail. The skirt is cut in a swirling curve around the body and the entire lower half is finished with a stiffened black netting. It's sexy and naughty but covered at the same time. Extraordinary. Excellent condition

Both pieces are made of a double layer of the exterior fabric and the bottom half of the body suit is made of a stretch jersey. The bodysuit closes with a low zipper at the back and snaps at the bottom. The skirt hooks to close and there are two rows of loops so you can adjust the fit. It would be easy to move and add to these if you needed to go up or down a bit more on the skirt. Both pieces are tagged a size 40.

Bodysuit
Bust: variable with no true side seams
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: will stretch to approx 18" maybe a touch more since it sits so high up
Bodice: 16" from top of shoulder strap to seam at dropped waist
Skirt: 11.5" from dropped waist to bottom

Skirt
Waist: the hook & eye are currently set at 13" & 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: ranges from 24" to 37" from waist to bottom of netted hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2786

Reference Photos: Yasmeen Ghauri for the S/S 1992 Claude Montana runway show.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

If you are a regular you will recognize this dress. I have had it in the shop for a bit. The owner of this is motivated to sell and it is a brand new price now - about 1/2 of what it was previously. So if you have been eyeing it up now is the time. Personally I am astounded that it has not already flown out the door as it is exquisitely beautiful and one of the best pieces form him that I have ever seen. It feels as fresh and relevant now as when it was made in 2002.

The dress is exquisite and only 20 of these with this rose print were produced worldwide. It is from the "Dance of the Twisted Bull" Collection of 2002. Digitally produced roses flow across the fabric and get denser as they near the hem. The dress is constructed with two layers of the silk chiffon fabric layered over each other so that you get this fantastic sense of depth with the screened design showing through. Each sleeve flows down the arm and then ends in a tiered full cuff whose edges are left raw. The skirt has that same deconstructed treatment to its hem and is  made from layers of silk set over each other. It skims over the hips and then cascades into different lengths that float around you as you move. The neckline is beautiful and has ties that curve up and around the neck and can be tied several ways. The shoulders are left bare.  You can instantly see the Spanish influence that Alexander McQueen strove for in this piece. It is a even more beautiful in person. Excellent condition.

The McQueen site says of the  collection: Body-skimming jersey cutaway to mimic harnessing is paired with sharp, low-slung tailoring, crisp white shirts are layered with laced corsetry in traditional Savile Row fabrics. Jewel encrusted epaulettes, polka dots, ruffled, tiered skirts and more crafted out of what look like Spanish fans are all executed with the complexity of pattern and attention to detail the designer is known for.", and Style.com's review said: "The Dance of the Twisted Bull" was the title of Alexander McQueen's highly anticipated collection, his first since partnering with Gucci Group and deciding to show in Paris. McQueen pulled off a bravura, Latin-themed romp. One particularly theatrical dress came equipped with banderillas—the long spears with which bullfighters pique bulls—that seemed to impale the wearer in order to support a long ruffled train in the back. Another, a severely deconstructed blood-red señorita dress, had part of a jacket attached at the waist, while a matador-inspired strapless gown featured a built-in sword. An assortment of polka-dotted frocks were layered over matching stockings, and cinched with corsetlike straps and holster-inspired tops. Alongside these dramatic statements came plenty of carefully tailored, eminently wearable clothes, deftly proving McQueen's ability to mix iconoclastic statements with commercially viable product. Razored jackets were softened via seashell-like pleated skirts with gently upturned fronts; flared-sleeve eyelet shirts, layered skirts, and embroidered white jeans all looked confident, as did the cut-out dresses and sharp-as-a-tack toreador suits." The full show is shown below.

Fully lined in a second layer of the same printed silk chiffon with more layers in the skirt. It closes with a hidden side zipper and the halter can be tied in several ways. Hand finishes. Purposely deconstructed edges. Museum quality

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 18" max flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 57" from top of shoulder to longest points of the asymmetrical hem but it is cut on the bias so will come up some when on the body as bias cut dresses do

Modern Sizing equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD939

Reference runway photos from style.com / Third reference photo from the ediorial "Dark Angel" Vogue UK, March 2015 by Tim Walker.  Stylist: Kate Phelan.  /  Last three photos: Amanda Lee Shirreffs. Click here to see her original blog post on this look >

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival

A quartet of these dresses closed the Fall 1995-96 runway show and I am pleased to have that footage here for you to see. The gowns that Armani was producing during this time period were on par with demi-couture and costs tens of thousands of dollars even then. It is such a pleasure to have such a well-documented piece and when it is also as spectacular as this one, the pleasure is even greater. The dress was the close of the show that season and the presentation of the four variations of it was stunning.

The dress is a sleek column of beadwork, done in one of his favoured long, lean silhouettes. The base fabric is a printed silk and onto this are literally thousands and thousands of beads and sequins that adorn the entire surface to cover every square inch. The colors are a muted palette of silvers, greys, pinks and blues. The pattern has a slight Asian feel to it and it is understated and yet glamorous. Inside, it is a marvel of construction, with a full built in bodice and beautify finishes. Armani has been in business for over four decades and pieces like this make you understand why that is so. This is the pinnacle of his work prior to establishing the Haute Couture Prive line that he now produces. It is gowns like this that have made his work a red carpet staple for celebrities for years. I have seen his beaded gowns from this time period listed up to $20,000 so perhaps I have under priced this one, but I would rather it go to a new girl who will love it then sit at a higher price. I think the girl that buys this will be very happy as it is a truly beautiful dress and so well documented. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a pale grey silk chiffon and closes with a back, hidden set zipper. A second zipper closes the inner corset that shapes the bust. There are straps on the gown but they are not beaded and I preferred it strapless so tucked them in. You can wear it either way and on the runway it was worn with straps. Tagged a size 40 and will best fit a 0-4. It will not close on my mannequin or on a size 6 dressmakers dress form. It does, of course, properly close on the right sized girl.

Bust: 15-16 with a approx A-B cup" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 59" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS

Item# DD2779

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This is a deceptively simple Jean Patou silk dress in a lovely navy silk. Jean Patou once said "Certain dressmakers desire to pass for an artist. I have one ambition: that is to have good taste." and this dress is the very epitome of that statement despite its sexy lines. The dress is numbered and is true haute couture piece that has been made entirely by hand and represents countless hours of dedicated hand work within the atelier. Patou was one of the founders of the sportswear movement and the later designers of the house often hearkened back to this aesthetic. This dress for example, has the lines of the tennis dress, ramped up for evening.  It is constructed from a rich navy silk that is flattering on most skin tones. The bust is plunging halter whose straps curve and hook behind the neck. This leaves the back bare to the waist and offsets the simplicity of the color and cut at the front. The waist is detailed with a padded round piping. Under this the skirt falls in a swirl of fabric cut to flare out and swing. Inside the dress is all handwork and lined in a fine blue silk. Excellent condition.

A hand set silk lining throughout and hand finished seams. Finished to Haute Couture standards. Closes with hand set fine painted metal zipper at the low back. Built in and attached inner waist stay that hooks to close. Hooks to close at the back neck. Numbered label 96773 (or 96113).

Bust: open with no true side seams
Waist: 13.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 14.5" from neck to waist
Skirt: 24" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2775

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

Vogue said of the S/S 2002 collection: "John Galliano's "Street Chic" collection took the form of a virtual world tour, with stops that included lavishly clad Bedouins, army recruits and girls in the 'hood. This was not the first time Dior has gone globetrotting, but Galliano injected, as always, new energy into his ethnic excursions. His bias-cut silk and lace dresses, embroidered jackets and sheer tops will work better than ever in this season of unbridled romanticism. Python jackets and low-slung hip-hop jeans also seem right for the moment, while the more eye-popping pieces—like the glittering pantsuit embroidered with kitschy Americana motifs—are just the thing for a starlet's weekend jaunt to Vegas."

This is a fabulous and sexy piece and it is looks like this one that defined the years that Galliano was at the head of Dior before his downfall. He was a master at contouring the body into the shapes he wanted and this is a beautiful example of how he combined both structure and flow in the same garment. The bodice is a structured corset that hooks down the front with flat hooks and is boned and shaped. The cups at the bust are padded and shaped to lift the breasts. Each cup is top stitched for extra detailing and this also offers contrast to the striped fabric. At the back the corset is laced so you can adjust it for the perfect cinched fit. Below this the silk chiffon skirt flows to the floor in a two sweeping layers of bias cut silk. It sweeps out as it nears the hem and has a slight train at the back. There is a slit up one side so you can see the the salmon pink silk chiffon layer under the top striped one when you move. Galliano designed fantasy pieces that combined historical references and pulled bits of design from a huge cross section of eras and somehow combined them to create very beautiful clothing. I remember seeing this dress everywhere that season and am sure there are more reference photos to be found for this dress. It really is one of his recognizable pieces. It is absolutely beautiful. Excellent condition

The dress is fully lined in silk through the bust with interior built in padded cups and boning.. It closes with a metal and nylon zipper at the side, laces at the back and hooks to close at the front. The skirt is lined with an attached second layer of silk. Tagged a US6, French 38. Because of the lacing on the back there is some adjustment possible for fit through the bust and waist.

Bust: 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 2-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 61" from top of dress to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD2770

Reference Photos: Christian Dior S/S 2002. (1) Look 47. Model: Liudmilla Bakhmat.  /  (2) Look 44. Model: Karolina Kurkova.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

Halston single-handedly transformed cashmere from a dowdy British staple to a fashion must-have. These long, slim dresses made of pure cashmere wool became a Halston staple and were designed for that chic modern woman to wear. The wearer was able to move and be superbly comfortable, never worrying about getting wrinkled or being inappropriate or uncomfortable. Every chic woman had to have one. I have included a reference photo of a lighter blue version held in The Met archives and a campaign photo form 1977 that shows a jumpsuit version in the same brilliant blue as this piece has been done. Recently, variations of his work in cashmere were featured in the Museum at FIT exhibit "Yves Saint Laurent + Halston: Fashioning the 70s". In their exhibit notes they mention these cashmere pieces specifically:

"Halston’s use of historical elements to create new collections was sparing. Rather than re-interpret the designs of those who came before him, he made subtle allusions to those designers whose work he most admired. He was inspired by body-revealing activewear and the sinuous, bias-cut gowns of Madeleine Vionnet from the 1930s, while primary influences from the 1940s included the cashmere sweater sets of Mainbocher and the ingenious ties and closures employed by Claire McCardell"

The dress is full length and cut with a single shoulder and falls from there in a column of royal blue cashmere to the floor. In the book "Halston; An American Original", they talk about Halston's cashmere pieces and quote Polly Mellon as saying: "His cashmere pieces to the floor... weren't just tubes: they had armholes, were neat on top, yet very cozy and at the same time elegant". It is said that they were inspired by a close associate that was a dance instructor and were intended to give the body complete freedom.  The color is amazing - a rich blue that is even better on person then how it photoed. It is the kind of color that will flatter most skin tones. These brilliantly colored pieces are not as easy to find for Halston anymore and this dress is an amazing and rare piece of fashion history. Excellent condition.

Unlined and slips on to wear. It is made from hand-loomed 100% cashmere made in Italy. Tagged a size L but it appears to be cut small and because it is knit it has stretch and will fit a variety of sizes. I have given the comfortable range of stretch while it is lying flat in the measurements below. You could probably go a little beyond that range listed depending on how fitted you wanted it.

Bust: 15-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 59" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item#  DD2765

Reference Photos: (1) 1977 Halston Cashmere Dress at the MET Museum  /  (2) Halston with Models, Harper's Bazaar, February 1977.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This beautiful tank from Halston is an absolute dream dress and a shining example of his aesthetic. It is made from a bias cut, red silk jersey. It is a simple construction that uses  a single layer of the fabric so it skims over the body and highlights every curve. One of Halston's signatures was to construct pieces with the absolute minimal seaming and this is a stunning example of how he executed that ideal. The dress is a simple tank style that falls to the floor in a beautiful column of silk jersey that gradually widens as it nears the hem. By the time you get to the lower skirt of the dress there is an amazing amount of fabric in the skirt. The front and back dip down in a scoop and it is just that perfect example of the American sportswear movement of this time period that still incorporated an easy kind of sexuality. It presents as excellent condition but does have some small flaws to review in the condition notes below.

It is made from a single layer of red silk jersey and closes with a back painted metal zipper. The dress has a few small marks and spots on the skirt and an odd little "wave" pattern that seems to run through the fabric on the side lower skirt oddly - this can happen with this fabric if it is not stored properly for extended periods of time. All of this negligible and I photoed the worst bits, There is so much fabric on the lower portion of the dress that once on you don't notice any of this.  Because of the stretch of the fabric there is some give to the measurements listed.

Bust: 11-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20-24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from shoulder strap to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2764

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

Valentino knows how to cut a dress to perfectly flatter a woman's body. Few designers can come close to the masterful techniques he perfected over the decades of his prolific career. This is an exceptional example of his work and it is very beautiful and striking. It has that feeling of simplicity that the nineties epitomized and yet, still feels modern and fresh. The almost weightless silk chiffon is completely cut on the bias and has been dyed his signature Valentino red. It is cut to drape perfectly over the body, skimming over your curves to flatter and fit perfectly. The color is absolutely fantastic - the perfect clear red that flatters most skin tones. I think it is even better in person then how it has photoed. If you know Valentino's work, then you know the exact shade this red is in person. The top is cut asymmetrically and angles across the top of the bust where it is suspended from one shoulder by a wide panel. This then turns into a cap sleeve on the other shoulder that has a ruffled finish that trails down the side. The back drops to a deep V for a sexy finish. From that spectacular cut bodice, the skirt drapes to the floor in a column of bias cut silk. A long ruffled is gathered in a offset ruching from the hip to the top of the bust and more fabric highlights the slit in the skirt. It is just stunning on the body. Excellent condition

Made of two layers of the red, bias cut silk chiffon. It closes with a back hidden set zipper. Hand finishes. Tagged a Valentino 12 but please check the actual measurements. It is cut on the bias so there is some give in size up or down.

Bust: 18-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 57" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD2390

Reference Photos: (1) Valentino Runway

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This is an amazing and classic feeling suit from the Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture atelier. I have put that it as from the 1980s but the estate it came form was chock full of pieces dating form the late 1970s to the early 80s so it could be a little earlier. It is a chic silhouette with a classic jacket dropped to the top of the hip and a fitted skirt that lands above the knee. The fabric is beautiful and has the feel of a man's suiting, a play on gender that Yves did often. Both the jacket and skirt are constructed from a grey herringbone with grey velvet derailing at the collar and cuffs. It is cut perfectly, with a slim shoulder, a slim notched lapel. The jacket is fitted and follows the curves of your body with two pockets that sit on the front of each hip. The skirt is also fitted and cut above the knee for a subtle sexiness that contrasts the fabric choice with belt loos that match the belt. Excellent condition.

Both pieces are hand lined in silk and the suit was made entirely by hand in the YSL atelier. The jacket buttons to close and the skirt closes with a couture set zipper and hook & eye at the waist. It has it's matching belt. Numbered Haute Couture label 050937

Jacket
Sleeves: 23.5"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 24" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 19.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2757

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

The twin of this dress was photoed on Anjelica Huston for Vogue in 1972 and shot by Richard Avedon. I am so pleased to have discovered and added this beautiful dress to the shop. I know the girl lucky enough to be the one who grabs it will be thrilled when she sees it in person as it is even better then how it photoed and it photoed well. The surface of the dress is entirely covered with glossy deep ruby colored sequins that give the dress an almost liquid feel and catch the light at every turn. The cut is simple and classic Blass. It is suspended by tiny little silk straps and then the dress falls from these to the floor in a long and lean column that widens out as it nears the hem. All of those sequins are hand applied to a bias cut silk chiffon and then this is layered over an silk interior slip that is attached. Inside there is also a Saks Fifth Avenue label with an old paper hang tag still attached so we know it has never been worn.  This is a fabulous opportunity to have a well documented and beautiful dress. Excellent condition

Fully lined with a deep burgundy silk. It closes with a side zipper. It appears to have never been worn and is in excellent, museum quality condition

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam but with bias cut room across the bust
Waist: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from shoulder strap to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2750

Reference Photos: (1) Anjelica Huston in Bill Blass for Vogue, September 1972. Photo by Richard Avedon.  /  (2) Fall 1972 Bill Blass Runway.  /  (3) Evening dress by Bill Blass is modeled by Mrs. Raymond L. Carter, September 1972.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This stunning dress is a numbered haute couture gown by Balmain. It is a fantastic blend of green silk chiffon that is layered over a pale pink base. The effect of the two colors together is quite beautiful. The bodice, cuffs and hem are all heavily covered with hand applied embellishments in pink, gold and clear beads & sequins. Additionally, the upper portion of the bodice on both the back and front is covered with this hand bead work. The neckline is scooped and that same scooped shape is mirrored at the back but cut deeper with a thick panel of beading following the curve. The bead work at the wrist and hem is a full two inches deep. This not only adds detail but gives the hem and cuffs some weight so that the dress sits and drapes perfectly as Balmain intended. The sleeves billow out at the wrist adding the perfect feminine touch. There are endless couture level details - little straps set just inside the bodice to hold your underpinning perfectly in place; weights encased in silk near the back zipper so it falls just so - all perfectly and meticulously done. It is an amazing example of the fine workmanship and attention to detail of Haute Couture. It is a true piece of fashion history. Excellent condition.

The dress is fully lined in a pale peachy pink grosgrain textured silk through the body and silk chiffon within the sleeves. The heavy beading detail that adorns the bodice, cuffs and hem are all applied on netting and there may be the occasional loose or missing bead and thread but it is so profusely done it does not deter. The numbered tag found under the main label is there but the writing has faded so I am not 100% certain of the number. Hand finished. It closes with a back, hand set, painted metal zipper and each cuff has a hidden painted metal zipper. There are two teeny areas on the front where the silk has thinned but they do not go all the way through the fabric.

Sleeves: 22"
Bust: 16" from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" from side seam to side seam
Total length: 49" from shoulder to bottom hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD456

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival

The Philadelphia Museum of Art recently hosted an exhibit of the work of Patrick Kelly. The show notes state: "“I want my clothes to make you smile”—that was the goal of late African American designer Patrick Kelly in creating his bold, bright, and joyful creations. Kelly achieved this on the streets, nightclubs, and runways of New York, Paris, and beyond in the heady, inventive, and often-subversive urban milieu of the 1980s....Kelly’s work pushed racial and cultural boundaries with golliwog logos, Aunt Jemima bandana dresses, and his ubiquitous black baby-doll brooches. His playful looks were inspired by his muse, Josephine Baker, and admiration for couturiers Coco Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli, and Yves Saint Laurent, among others." I have included the video form the exhibit where you see a flash of a similar dress on the runway and also photos that have the twin on this same dress in a group with Patrick himself

This dress is from the Fall/Winter 1988 Collection and for this collection he spoofed on the work of Coco Chanel, something he was known for and di often with a variety of designers. The collection was call "Miss CouCou" and the dress also showcases another of his signatures - the use f the bow. Each bow you see is hand sewn into place and the dress is literally covered in bows in all of the colors of the rainbow. It is an exceptional example of Kelly's work and has the added provenance of being featured in photos with Patrick himself. Kelly's pieces are synonymous with sex appeal and his pieces have a sense of chicness combined with high street. With this dress he skillfully mixes a sexy and short silhouette with girlish bows. It is cut to follow your every curve and highlight the body. This is a superb and rare piece by a great American designer. Excellent condition

Unlined and closes with a back metal and nylon zipper. The dress has slight stretch. You can clearly see the hand work to apply the ribbons on the interior side of the fabric. The stretch fabric will allow it to fit a variety of sizes. It appears it have never been worn

Sleeves: 23.5"
Slightly dropped shoulders: 16"
Bust: 17-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17-21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 37" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD2733

Reference Photos:  Patrick Kelly and models displaying the Fall/Winter 1988 Collection, photographed by Oliviero Toscani.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This is a beautiful black pleated silk chiffon Christian Dior skirt that is a true piece of Haute Couture. It comes directly from the daughter of the original owner. Her mother purchased it along with many of the other couture Dior pieces I have had in the shop from this collection. Her mother removed the label on this one because it showed through the sheer portion of the waist. It is easily identifiable as a couture piece when you see it in real life. I have showed it along with a top from this same collection that I am handling.

The fabric that the skirt is made out of is a very high end silk chiffon. It is very difficult to convey the level of quality when showing you a piece of couture that is done in a solid black but you will have to trust me when I tell you that it is even more exquisite in person. Every seam and edging is completely hand done and the level of workmanship that has been put into this piece is extraordinary. Under the waist line the skirt falls in a series of meticulously spaced knife pleats. This gives the skirt a long and lean line when you are standing still but allows for a tremendous amount of volume and movement when you move. Lining the top layer is an inner layer of black silk chiffon so that it is wearable and not sheer. Above the pleats and circling the waist is a fitted band done in a single layer of silk that makes it semi-transparent. The top that is from the same collection was made in the proper couture technique that has its embroidery and sequin work end just where the waist band would sit. It then has a long panel that tucks perfectly under the waist band of this skirting still gives the illusion of there being nothing underneath. The skirt appears to be unworn or worn very little. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a layer of black silk chiffon. All the interior seams and edges are finished by hand. It closes at the side with a handset metal zipper under a panel of silk that closes over the zipper with hand set snaps. Finished to Haute Couture standards and entirely done by hand. This listing is for the skirt only. 

Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 41" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# S728

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

The Candy Flower print, developed by Celia Birtwell for Ossie Clark is, in my opinion, one of the best of the Ossie Prints and is definitely one of the most recognizable. This top has an extra layer of interest in that it has a twin in a different fabric that is currently held in The Met Museum (reference photo here). Our version is in a more opaque fabric and was a custom order for Astrid Lundstrom who was Bill Wyman's common-law wife from 1967 till 1983. Bill was of course the bassist for the Stones from 1962 until 1993. This was acquired directly from Astrid. She was a personal friend of Ossie's and he made this top for her himself at her request. It is not labelled as a result - she literally remembers grabbing it the moment it was finished and it never did end up getting a label sewn into it. It is a masterpiece of his work and wraps and ties at the front to close. Astrid was very tiny so on the mannequin the top sits with a space running down the front as she was tinier then the mannequin. If you look at the photo of the op held at The Met you see how it looks fully closed. Ruffles run down the front and cascade from the cuffs. They themselves are especially interesting as they are pieces rectangular panels of fabric and there is an immense amount of fabric used. This is a rare and iconic piece of Ossie's work with the added bonus of a bit of rock and roll provenance and a museum connection. Excellent condition.

Unlined and ties to close at the front.

Sleeves: 18.5"
Shoulders: 13.5"
Bust: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 24.5" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# S768

Reference Photos: (1) 1970-75 Ossie Clark Blouse from The MET Collection.  /  (2) Moyra Swan by David Montgomery for Vogue UK July 1969.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

The 1967 ‘Cosmocorps’ showing was a unisex collection that drew inspiration from recent technological and scientific advances of the time. The dresses were cut in a modified triangle shape that redefined the curves of the female body.  in the reference photos from that year you can see the similar cut out design treatments at the front bodices. These were shown at the time worn over skin- tight leotards but work equally as well now worn with nothing under them so that bare skin peaks through the but outs at the neck.

The dress is constructed from an inky black wool of a mid-weight that holds the sculpted shape perfectly. It is cut in a sleek little triangular shape through the body that gives it that classic Cardin  silhouette. He cut these dresses deliberately to define the shape of the dress rather than the body under it. The woman wearing it is meant to provide the foundation for the dress rather then the dress to highlight the woman. At the neck there is a front bib in a contrasting panel. The color of the panel is a bright blue and into that panel are two of his signature curved cut outs. These open cut outs are classic Cardin and give the dress a graphic feel. This same blue is used at each cuff With each sleeve cut to billow out slightly above. It is more fitted through the bust and the opens up as it curves past the waist and the flares out over the hips and to the hem. This is Cardin at his best and is an instantly recognizable design. It is very rare and very special. Excellent condition with two small notes to review below.

Fully lined in a black silk and closes with a back zipper and hook & eye at the back neck. Each cuff closes with a black fabric covered button. There is a teeny thinning of the fabric at the neck that is barely noticeable and there are two nips out of the fabric near the seam at one side. See the reference photos for both areas. These have been there since I acquired it and the dress has been specialty cleaned. They came through cleaning with no further issues and the fabric is strong and stable.

Sleeves: 25.5"
Shoulders: 16.5"
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 36.5" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD2717

Reference Photos: (1) Pierre Cardin Collection 1967. Photo by Giancarlo Botti.  /  (2) Pierre Cardin Ready-to-wear Cosmocorps collection, 1967. From the book "Pierre Cardin: Fifty Years of Fashion and Design".  /  (3) Pierre Cardin, Cosmocorps collection, 1967. Photograph by Yoshi Takata/DR., © Archives Pierre Cardin.  /  (4-5) Cherie, Owner of Shrimpton Couture.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

The Marc Bohan for Christian Dior Haute Couture dress set is amazing and the attention to detail shown in every stitch is breathtaking. It is interesting to see the progression in his pleat technique from the A/W 1973 example that I also have in the shop here.

In this version the pleats are softer and the entire piece is made from them rather then the incorporation of the pleats into the design like how he made the earlier version. Also, the pleats in this 1976 set are carried over onto the caped topper. The dress and topper are entirely done by hand and the silk crepe used is of the highest possible grade. The dress is a simple affair with perfectly demure lines. The bodice is a simple tank with thin straps that curve up and over each shoulder. The waist is defined by a meticulous tightening of  all all those pleats to form a tiny band. The skirt swings out in a full swirl of pleats - each is permanently pressed into the fabric and the result is hundreds of very fine and perfectly matched pleats. Remarkable when you realize that this is all created from one column of fabric from bodice to hem. There is a half slip meant to be worn under the skirt of the dress. This slip is also made entirely by hand and constructed from a fine silk crepe chiffon with a zippered waist. Over the dress sits a beautiful, light jacket that at first glance appears to be a cape, but it does indeed have sleeves. Each sleeve is cut extremely wide and full so they virtually blend into the swooping lines of the jacket. It is also fully pleated. The front is especially interesting as it has a single button at the neck and then appears to button down the front. However, upon close inspection you can see that this is a witty illusion as the buttons are set so they cannot possible close properly. It is meant to be worn open below the neck and simply mimics the look of a front closure. It is truly a brilliant dress  and jacket set and when you see it in person you will be astounded at the level of craftsmanship and care put into the construction. Bonus points for the versatility you have by being able to wear the pieces as separates. A masterpiece. In excellent, museum quality condition.

In the present world of Haute Couture, a day dress starts at a price tag of $30,000US dollars. Starts. That is an incredible amount of money and easily makes a dress like this and priced for what it is here, a virtual steal. You also get the added exclusivity that automatically comes with the rarefied world of true Haute Couture and the truly limited productions of each piece. Haute Couture is the very pinnacle of the fashion experience and I would hazard to say that vintage versions are even a little more special then modern ones.

The silk is a heavy grade which allows the dress and jacket to be unlined, with a small silk chiffon placed in the upper portion of the jacket. There is also a matching slip made of silk crepe chiffon. All three pieces are completely made by hand as the parameters of Haute Couture dictates. The inner slip closes with a handset painted metal zip. The dress closes with the side with a fine painted metal zipper set by hand and the jacket buttons at the top of the neck only. All the other buttons are for show and design only. There is elastic in the waist. The set appears to have been never worn or worn very little. The Haute Couture tags are present on the slip and jacket with numbers 06882 and 06883.

Jacket
Sleeves: 18.5"
Shoulders: 14"
Bust: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: open
Length: 23" from neck to hem

Dress
Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 16" from top of shoulder strap to waist
Skirt: 27.5" from waist to hem

Inner Slip
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 25" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2713

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This is a fantastic little print dress is one of the most recognizable of the dresses that walked the 2004 runway presentation from Prada. In Vogue's review of the collection they said: "For Spring 2004, the designer turned her attention to the stiffest fashion challenge of the day: how to make feminine, happily nostalgic clothes without rehashing the clichés of vintage? “It was about tourism and craftsmanship, many things,” she said of a show that revisited the optimistic fifties to bring back a full set of densely packed suitcases. Out tumbled every possible variation on the classic touring wardrobe: circle skirts printed with illustrated Mediterranean scenes, shirtwaists and Capri pants, sundresses and bathing suits, button-through skirts and lovely evening frocks, silk madras bras and little tulle full-skirted dance dresses."

It is constructed from a gorgeous custom screened cotton that has a slight starched finish so it feel crisp and holds the shape. It is of course styled with a strong nod to the 1950s and has a neat collar and shirt button front. The sleeves are cut long an slim with a button at each cuff. The waist nips in and the skirt is tremendously full - if laid out flat its volume is greater then a full circle there is so much fabric in it. The fabric itself is a marvel it is covered with a postcard print and if you look closely you realize it was all placed deliberately to follow and highlight the cut of the dress. Perfectly Prada and highly collectible. Excellent condition.

The dress is unlined and closes with the buttons down the front. The quality of finishes that one would expect from Prada. Tagged a Prada 46 but is cut small so please check measurements below. It appears to have never been worn.

Sleeves: 19"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 17.5" from neck to waist
Skirt: 31" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2707

Runway photo: Prada s/s 2004, Look 35 Model: Madeleine Blomberg,

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This dress is exceptional and a unique piece as it is a press sample and as far as I have been able to ascertain was never put into production. To the best of my knowledge and my client's, there is not another one out there. This sometimes happens as sample are made for the runway presentation and then are edited out of the final cut, or a designer decided to go in a slightly different example. The closest piece I see that was produced was the dress worn by Miranda Kerr. The dress here is so very intricate and so very sexual in feel, that it is easy to see why the final cost and  the niche amount of women who would have been able to wear it, would have made it prohibitive to produce. Peter's beaded dresses while at Pucci often retailed for well over $10,000 and this would have easily fallen in that elite group.

The dress is a short shift with its surface entirely hand beaded. Large plastic discs in green are surrounded by glass tube & ball beads, with green crystals prong set among them. Every inch of the dress is covered as a result. It is like a honey comb design and the intricacy and time needed to follow each of those individual segments is astounding. The neckline is a stunning halter that trails over the shoulders and meets mid-back. Each segment of the dress is suspended from the others with little ladders of bead embossed silk that leaves skin exposed between. This creates a plunge effect around the front and leave skin exposed down each side. It is absolutely incredible. The Karla Otto agency tag is attached on the care tag. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a green silk and closes with a hidden set zipper set at the side back to follow a seam. Tagged a Pucci 36. Has the Karla Otto press sticker on the inner tag and a hand written number. Very heavy and cut tiny through the top of the bust. Note that due to the excessive beading and value this item will only be sold as a final sale item as to not incur potential wear and tear from excessive shipping back and forth.

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 38" from top of dress to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2700

Reference Photo: Miranda Kerr in Pucci at the 2015 Warner Music Group Grammy celebration, Feb 8 2015.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

The red and white version of this same suit appeared in a 1968 issue of L'Officiel giving us the date for this one. This suit is lovely and equally strong in black and white as it was in red and it is perhaps more versatile in this color. The base fabric is a mid-weight boucle wool with a bold herringbone design in a graphic combination of black, grey and white. The weave of the fabric becomes a design detail in itself. Edging both the jacket and skirt is a border of textured, woven fabric in black. This anchors both the pieces and defines the design . The jacket has a boxed cut and closes down the front with hidden snaps that sit behind the decorative buttons you see. I love the black edging that runs down the front and around the collar and finishes both sleeves and tops the pockets. The skirt is a simple pencil with a slight A-line as it nears the hem. It too has that black treatment all around the hem and this cleverly ties it into the jacket. Very chic and with just a touch of drama in feel. Excellent condition

Both pieces are fully lined in a taupe silk crepe that is hand set The skirt also is interlined in a white silk organza . The skirt closes with a zipper and hook & eye at the waist. The jacket snaps to close. The pockets are functional and silk lined. Hand finished throughout and made to demi-couture standarss

Jacket
Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 20" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 23.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2698

Reference Photo: Christian Dior Suit as seen in L'Officiel, 1968.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

From the Fall 2010 runway come this incredible and extremely sensual and sexy mini dress that combine a silk velvet lame with dramatic fringing. Vogue said of this collection: "High bohemia and opium-smoking dens. Peter Dundas has taken Pucci to a darker, more dangerous place in his third season at the label, and it looks fabulous. "I wanted to do something that felt lush," he said. Indeed. From start to finish, the collection played like a sexy antidote to fashion's resurgent minimalism. You could almost hear the sigh of relief from the fearless red-carpet types and party girls for whom the less-is-less trend holds zero allure. Fringed scarf dresses, along with a feather chubby in acid green, added to the glam-hippie seventies vibe. Just plain glam, meanwhile, were the leggy minidresses—in black, say, with a peekaboo gold lace panel on the front—or the gowns with plunging necklines and high-drama slits and trailing hems. None of that is exactly uncharted territory for Dundas, who's recently been discovered by the Kate Hudsons and Fergies of the world."

The dress is indeed lush and shockingly glamorous. It has recently been announced that Peter will soon be debuting work under his own name (finally) and I think that his continued success will only add to the importance of these pieces he did so very well while at Pucci. The dress is made from a beautiful silk devore fabric done in a deep, rich blue. It is cut on the bias and with a one shoulder silhouette. Balancing this is a single sleeve with a dramatic silk knotted fringe. The fringe continues around the back and is caught up in a hand draped knot at the side hip. The bias cut means it moves with you and is insanely comfortable once one despite its tiny cut. It literally feels like a fine, couture 1920s piece that has been refashioned and remastered. On the runway the fabric was used for one dress and the silhouette for the other but I by far prefer this production dress that combined the two. These dresses ranged in the high thousands with some topping over 10 and 15 thousand at retail. It is absolutely fabulous and will be a shining and early example of one of our star modern-day designers. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a black, bias cut silk chiffon and closes with a low, hidden set side zipper. Tagged a 36 and appears unworn. Cut on the bias so there is some play in the measurements

Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: approx 32" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2695

Reference Photos: Emilio Pucci F/W 2010 (Look 9 & Look 36)

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

I was thrilled to find this Yves Saint Laurent suit and instantly recognized it as the twin of another of this same piece that I have had in the shop a couple of years ago, except this one is a little larger then the last I had. A rare find indeed, this suit, from the s/s 1970 collection, was photographed by Jeanloup Sieff, and appeared in the February issue of French Vogue that year. That same photograph was also republished and used in the 2012 book "Saint Laurent, Rive Gauche - Fashion Revolution", and appears on page 105.

The suit is perfectly cut and balanced in design. It is made from what Vogue described as "a polished cotton satin" and this fabric choice gives both pieces a slight sheen. The fabric has enough weight that it holds it sculptural shape perfectly. The skirt exemplifies the mood and feel of the seventies with its exaggerated A-line cut and vertical top seaming. The jacket gives a nod to the Victorian age with a high, neat collar and fitted cut. It closes down the front with a tightly spaced row of round domed buttons. It is fitted through the body with a peplum hip that balances the extravagance of the skirt. I love that each sleeve is finished with 4 matching buttons to pick up on the amazing front. It is a wonderful example of Yves work and such a delight to have such an extremely well documented piece. Excellent condition.

The jacket is fully lined in fine black silk while the skirt is unlined. The jacket closes with a tightly spaced row of round black buttons and the skirt closes with with a side zipper and flat hook & eye at the waist. Each cuff has 4 buttons that are decorative and match the ones on the jacket. There is the slightest evidence of "overpressing" to the seams but nothing that detracts from the suit overall.

Top
Sleeves: 22"
Shoulders: 15.5" across
Bust: 18" flat across the back from seam to seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across the back from seam to seam
Hips: 20"
Length: 24" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 14" flat across the back from seam to seam
Hips: 20" flat across the back from seam to seam
Length: 32" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2692

Reference Photo: S/S 1970 YSL Suit photographed by Jeanloup Sieff for French Vogue. (As seen in the 2012 book Saint Laurent, Rive Gauche - Fashion Revolution) 

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival

The Pucci beach caftan is one of those iconic vintage items that is synonyms with the 1960s and that carefree jet set life that Pucci and his clients loved and lived. The were featured predominately in the display at the Fondazione Emilio Pucci, Palaxxo Pucci, in Florence where examples were encased under glass. Made of a terry cloth velvet this stunning example is the classic cut. It is almost like a coat with no sleeves and can easily transition out of the resort and be worn for all seasons on its own or layered. It completely unzips and opens at the front. This makes it extremely versatile and allows it to slip over just about anything or be worn as a stand alone. The hood is fantastic and full and this one snaps on and off giving the caftan two distinct looks. It is done in one of his siganture palettes that mix corals and pinks with taupes and creams . These are hard to come by and a fantastic collector piece that is highly wearable as well. Excellent condition.

The hood and very upper shoulders are lined in a pink, fine cotton voile and the body of the caftan is left unlined. It closes with a painted metal zipper at the front and the hood snaps off. In person the pink and corals parts present stronger then the taupes and browns. The loose and easy cut will allow it to fit a variety of sizes

Bust: 19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: open
Hips: open
Length: 55" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-LRG

Item# DD2665

Reference Photos: (1) Fondazione Emilio Pucci, Palaxxo Pucci, Florence. A display featuring terrycloth and cotton velvet capes in display cases in the Sala delle Muse. Photo: Santi Caleca/Emilio Pucci Archive, Florence.  /  (2) Photo by Henry Clarke, 1968.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This is an amazing couture Halston dress that is absolutely divine. A similar dress is seen in the book "Halston" (see reference photo). It is entirely cut on the bias with minimal seaming as was his signature style and the color is built through the layering of the silk chiffon. The color of the very top layer and sleeve is a soft ivory and then the inner layers are a nude silk so that the body of the dress has a slightly deeper tone then to do the sleeves. Its a color that is infinitely flattering on most skin tones and walks that perfect balance between a color and a neutral. Halston defined how woman dressed n the 1970s and his cuts both flattered the body and was insanely sexy but they also are amazingly comfortable to wear. This dress is no exception. It is feather light and you are barely conscious of wearing anything. The front has a deep plunge that laces up. This allows you to wear it in a deep, deep open plunge or to lace it tighter for a more demure effect. The sleeves are fantastic with and angled cut through the shoulders and elastic at the cuffs so that they puff up above the wrist. It is meant to be worn loose and free so that the bias cut chiffon swirls around you when you walk but you could also add a belt or sash for shape. It is amazing and a fine example of Halston at his best. Excellent condition with one small note below.

Constructed from three layers of fine, bias cut silk chiffon - two inner nude colored layers an outer top layer in ivory. The sleeves are unlined. It is all bias cut and just slips over the head to wear with a lace up neckline. Hand finished. There is the very slightest foxing in a small area at the back and one tiny area on the front. I have photoed the worst of it - with the amount of fabric it is minimal once on and does not detract.  The loose cut will allow for a variety of sizes.

Sleeves: 29" approx.
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 16.5-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: open
Hips: open
Length: 48" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-LRG

Item# DD2662

Reference Photos: (1-2) Resort 1974 Halston Runway.   /  (3) Nancy North arriving at a Halston party, New York, September 21, 1974. Photo: Ron Galella. (From the book “Halston” by Phiadon)  /  (4) Karen Bjornson in Halston, Vogue, November 1, 1974. Photo by Kourken Pakchanian.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This dress is constructed from a semi-sheer silk voile that is bias cut ad done in shades of grey. The gown has an exceptional sleeve and bodice treatment that gives it a fantastic haute couture feel. Yves based many of the gowns for the Rive Gauche label on the pieces from his Haute Couture label and often they are constructed at a level that I consider to be demi-couture, like this dress. The skirt is full and yet light due to the fabric choice that allows it to be very light in weight and yet retain its shape, volume and drape. There are literally yards of silk that have gone into its construction. I love the way it has been shaped with vertical seaming so that the fabric narrows at the waist and then widens to a full circle of fabric.  Clever darting is done all the way around to make that waist line narrow and shape like that. The seaming also provide a beautiful visual detailing and helps give the skirt that incredible volume and shape. The top portion of the dress with those remarkable sleeves are the stars of the show. Each sleeve is cut with an incredible amount of fabric and each is set to come out from the waist.  The front and back plunge deeply to offset that volume and keep the fabric from becoming excessive. The tie that you see running down the back actually run through the edge of the front and back neck and you tighten or loosen this so that it sits where you wish and creates the plunge as deep as you wish. You can also wrap that braided cord around your waist to create a belt rather then to leave it tied at the back as I chose to show it for the photos. Exceptional. Excellent condition

Unlined and finished to very high standards. It closes with a low back, hidden, fine metal painted zipper. The top has a black braided silk cord that is very long and run through the entire neckline allowing you to adjust how high the neck sits and where the shoulders sit. The bust is also adjustable because of this cord. The dress will fit a larger range of variety of sizes because of the cut and the ability to adjust it through the top.

Sleeves: approx 15"
Shoulders: adjustable
Bust: no true side side seams
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 60" from shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD2111

Reference Photos: (1) Photographed for creative purposes by Ted Belton. Stylist: Amanda Lee Shirreffs, Hair & Makeup: Erin Heather, Model: Ginni Connors at Elmer Olsen.  /  Amanda Lee Shirreffs for her weekly column on our blog, Curated. (Photos by Erin Leydon) Click here to see the full column >

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This is an incredible dress that would be from when Marc Bohan was head of the Dior atelier. It is a beautiful example of the work being produced by Christian Dior in this time period. This is the Christian Dior - London label and is considered to be demi-couture from this time period of Dior's history. This dress is especially interesting as it has a sample label inside along with it numbered Dior label. It must have been a runway sample or was a sample that was previewed for the next season. These where made for the London market based on the runway designs and with many of the same high standard finishes that Haute Couture pieces incorporated. The line was created and designed by Jorn Langberg, Artistic Director of Christian Dior London. 

The dress is made out of a soft silk velvet in a jet black. The cut is simple and sleek with a halter neckline made when the fabric curves up and around the neck. The bodice is set on an angle on either side that work up to the straps that curve around the neck. At the back is a dramatic and large bow with wide velvet ends that trail down the back. The back extends out from the bottom of the front halter so it curves around you and leaves the entire upper back bare and open. It skims over the waist and the shaping there is created by vertical seams. The skirt is cut to feel sleek and simple but also to add some volume and balance to the bareness of the neckline. From the waist it flows to the floor with a flaring cut, widening out as it reaches the hem. The bodice is fitted with a series of inner boning to define the shape. It is a beautiful and dramatic piece despite its simple lines. Hand finishes throughout. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in a black silk and closes with a two back painted metal zipper - one on the interior corseting and one hidden set on the exterior. The back of the neck closes with hook & eye. Sample and numbered tags present. The number tag is very faint but seems to be A39839. Inner boning and shaping through the bodice. The bust was small on my dress form and the dress does close properly on the right sized person.

Bust: 16" flat across from side seam to side seam with room for up to a B cup
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58.5" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2658

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

The Hardy Amies couture house launched in 1946 and he added RTW in 1950. In 1951 Amies was chosen to design some of the wardrobe for Princess Elizabeth’s tour of Canada. That led to Amies appointment as the Royal Dressmaker in 1955 after Elizabeth became the Queen. He was known for his fine, elegant lines and love of the best of the best fabrics. A signature touch of Amies is a slightly dropped waistline as he thought it was more flattering and elegant.

This is a early example form his couture line and it is exceptional. It would make a stunning wedding gown for the bride who wants to wear vintage but because it is not a stark white could easily be worn as a gown to any event. The construction is entirely by hand and this would date to the late 1940s, early 1950s. It is made from layers of silk. Two layers of a soft grey-white silk organza on top, with a third layer of a heavy silk for the interior lining in a soft taupe grey. The deeper color of the silk interior comes through the layers of the exterior so the gown has a slight grey cast to it that is very soft and pretty. The interior construction is fabulous with boning and structure through the bodice and built in cups. On the outer layer the bodice and skirt are all pleated with flat knife pleats, pressed and sewn into place by hand. I love the expanse of cotton lace that wraps around the skirt for contrast. The bodice is strapless and hugs the body. We see that signature dropped waist so that the bodice is curved and love. From there the skirt builds in volume as it nears the hem with excess fabric all through the bottom hem to create those stunning curves folds. It is truly exceptional and a fine example of his work. It presents well but does have some small flaws. Please review the noyes below.

Fully lined in a grey-taupe silk and closes with a side painted metal zipper with hook & eye and snaps on the layers of fabric over the interior zipper. The bodice is boned and it has built in cups. The hem of the interior skirt has a wide horsehair lining inside the hem line so it falls perfectly. The middle layer of silk has an unfinished hem. The outer hem is hand rolled and hand stitched. An inner waist stay closes with hook & eye. There is yellowing and discoloration to the lower hem and the edge of the hem. There is yellowing to the front inner edge of the bodice and fraying to the inner silk along the inner edge of the bodice amd some fraying along the area on the side where it snaps to close. I feel that it is entirely wearable as is or if you wished to, would be a fairly simple job to make some changes to make it perfect again but is sold and priced as being all original.

Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 10" from top of dress to true waist
Skirt: 45" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2657

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

Her pieces consistently sell out world wide and this Magda Butrym dress was no exception. Very few can be found, if any. This is from this season and was Look 9 on the fall runway. The Net-A-Porter website says of Magda; "Magda Butrym combines modern design with the finest fabrics and traditional craftsmanship to produce pieces with a “soul.” Her eponymous line is defined by meticulous hand-finished details including pleating, crocheting and embroidery.". Made of a red floral printed silk it has a loose and easy cut with an open shoulder. Oversized peasant sleeves and a long, attached self-tie bow sits at the neck. You can belt it to add shape. The hem is asymmetrical and this works with everything from heels to combat boots. Excellent, as new condition

Unlined and slips on. Ties at neck and sleeves. Tagged a 40 but the loose cut will allow for a variety of sizes.

Sleeves: 24.5"
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 20.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: open
Hips: open
Length: 47.5" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD2655

Reference Photo: Look 9 from F/W 2016 RTW Magda Butrym.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

It is always wonderful to have a true piece of Haute Couture and this Chanel suit is to absolutely beautiful. You can never go wrong with having a classic Chanel suit in your wardrobe and to have a Haute Couture version is that much more special. The current cost of a Chanel Haute couture suit is in the tens of thousands of dollars so the investment in a vintage version is not only smart but a prudent use of your dollars. 

This suit dates to the late 1950s, early 1960s and although unlabeled, it has all of the hallmarks of the Chanel suit - the chain at the inner hem, the vertically stitched inner quilt effect used during this time period and the fine, inner workmanship all done by hand. It is constructed from a classic Chanel boucle that upon close inspection is actually a mix of a pink and coral wool woven and thatched through a black and ivory base. The proprietary boucle Chanel uses gives the fabric structure and stability one way and a slight bias cut effect the other. This also is what creates the perfect fit that Chanel suits have. The fabric has the movement to really sculpt to the wearer and yet retains its shape at the same time. It is masterfully cut and constructed with all the work done by hand. The skirt is just below the knee with a slight flared cut and two inverted pleats. The jacket is classic Chanel with the signature four flap pocket front, each highlight with a domed, gold filigree metal button. The jacket has no closures and a stitched down, secured collar. The packets and cuffs have a contrasting black silk detailing. The inner top quilted paneling of the lining is so well done you could almost flip the entire suit inside out and wear it that way.  Everything about it is special to the last detail. Excellent condition.

Both pieces are lined in a black silk that is stitched in long vertical panels in the jacket. The lining is entirely set and finished by hand. The skirt closes with a hand set painted metal zipper and a flat hook and eye at the waist. It has an additional interlining of black silk organza. The jacket has no closures and the pockets and cuffs are decorated with with domed brass filigree buttons. The signature gold chain runs along the inner edge of the lining.

Jacket
Sleeves: 23.5"
Shoulders: 16.5"
Bust: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 22" from neck to hem

Skirt
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 25.5" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: MED-LRG

Item# DD2654

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This coat is extraordinary. It dates to approx the 1962-63 Haute Couture collection and is impeccable. A similar coat is held in The Metropolitan Museum permanent archives (reference photo to the left). Cristobal Balenciaga was known for his fine tailoring and sculptural approach to design and the restrained and refined lines of this suit showcase that aesthetic. Even Dior himself declared Balenciaga as "the Master of us all" and Balenciaga's impact on fashion cannot be underestimated. He passed away in 1968 so any time I acquire a piece that pre-dates his death, I am especially thrilled.

The coat looks to have never been worn, or worn very little. It is numbered under the Balanciaga label and entirely made by hand and extremely well made as one would expect from a Haute Couture piece. Cristobal was known for doing the fitting himself, from the initial muslin stage through to the final fittings which means that a couture suit such as this one, made during the years he was alive and headed the house, means that you have a garment fitted by the master himself. It is cut with the volume and curves that defined the era and showcases the influence that Balenciaga had toward direction of line and cut. A neat small collar sits above the buttons that run down the front. The seams are cut gracefully on a curve and the lines of the coat are simple, yet extremely beautiful. The subtlety of the seams is fabulous in person.  It utilizes the very minimal of seaming in its design with dropped curving shoulders and arms and a slim cut through the body - a subtle play on his iconic "cocoon" shaping he was known for. Front pockets sit on each hip at the front. The fabric is a dense heavy weight cashmere or cashmere mix and the lining a black silk. It feels insanely modern still some 50 odd years later! Excellent condition

Lined in hand set black silk taffeta. It buttons to close and has pockets on each hips. Numbered tape under the label "102151" Each pocket is lined in silk as well. There is a small area of surface nips on the back (photoed). The coat has been professionally cleaned and temperature treated to Museum Standards.

Sleeves: 19" approx.
Shoulders: no defined seam
Bust: 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 23" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 40" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C421

Reference Photo: c.1963-65 Balenciaga Coat from The MET Collection.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

Normal Norell begain his career working for Hattie Carnegie and then in 1941 partnered with Anthony Traina and his work from then until 1958 appears under the Traina-Norell label. Between 1958 and up to 1960 items appeared under his name only and then in 1960 he officially launched his own label. This dress is an early example of his work from this time period. He was a master tailor and his earlier work explores shape and volume. In February 1958, another version of his "Bubble Dress" appeared in Harper's Bazaar on Dovima whose cape gave it the dramatic shape. This version builds on that shape but puts all the volume into the skirt which allows the top to be bare and sexy for balance.

The finish is incredible and it is very well tailored, beautifully constructed and made from the best possible silk that you could acquire at the time - in fact, his pickiness about using only the best fabrics became a signature move on Norell's part that carried through his career. The soft watercolor floral design is a work of art on its own and the pink and pastel coral hues are flattering on almost every skin tone. Every line is a study in thought and detail and used to contrast and build on the rest of the design. The cups of the halter top are formed and shaped and the back left bare. The waist is set high and is nipped in with a wide hand placed panel of fabric that gives the illusion of the tiniest possible waist. The skirt has an immense amount of fabric and is caught up underneath with tulle and the way it is cut creating that dramatic pouf. I have styled it for maximum volume but it can also be worn without that much volume if you wished (though why?). It also came with its original wide, matching silk stole for a touch of coverage if you wish. Really a remarkable and stunning Norell dress and a piece of fashion history. Excellent, museum quality condition.

Constructed with multiple layers of the same exterior silk and a white inside that serves as lining and support for the structure. It closes with hidden hook and eye on the interior corseting and a hidden painted metal zipper under the waist line. The sash at the waist goes over the closures and hooks into place under the bow detailing at the front for an unbroken line. Inner tulle through the skirt and extremely fine construction. Hand finished and the silk is of extremely high quality and a very luxurious weight.

Dress
Bust: 16-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 12" from top of bust to waist
Skirt: 25" from waist to hem

Shawl
60" x 17"

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD2653

Reference Photos: Dovima wearing a dress with cape by Norman Norell for Harper's Bazaar, February 1958.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This was designed when Youssef Rizkallah headed the company so would have been made between the years of 1969 and 1975. The years that Youssef headed the line are among some of my favorites and in particular his pieces that utilize quilting and patchwork are truly iconic. Rizkallah was born in Egypt and studied at the Ecole de dessin appliqué and the Ecole des arts decoratifs in Paris. His designs seem to combine that sense of couture lines that he gained in Paris with the color and vividness of his homeland. The coat falls to the floor in a fabulous expanse of light white silk and wool mix. The collar and front, as well as those spectacular sleeves and intricate hem, are all edged with a soft yellow velvet mixed with a floral print cotton. Elaborate designs adorn each sleeve and all around the hem and these are huge and dramatic. They suggest a vivid sunset and I love the use of a gold colored faux leather that gives them a touch of glitz. The sleeves are split deliberately to the elbow to the huge, wide cuffs fall down and put when you move so that you can see that design perfectly. It is dramatic, and wonderful and rare. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a hand set white silk and closes down the front with hook & eye. Perhaps the teeniest of grubbiness along the edge of the hem but appears otherwise to have never been worn.

Sleeves: 24.5"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 60" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# C419

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This was Look 49 in the Fall 2000 runway. Stella McCartney's time as head designer at Chloe really launched her career and it was pieces like this that also firmly entrenched her stance on not using any animal products in her collections - which in 2000 was not necessarily the norm. She was one of the front runners of this movement. Vogue.com said of this collection:

VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards Designer of the Year nominee for her Chloé collection, Stella McCartney drew inspiration from her own childhood memories of the '70s and '80s. And since the self-proclaimed "Rock Princess'" impressionable years moved to a disco beat, so did this racy collection..... Stella set the tone for the collection with short, batwing-sleeved jersey disco dresses, trellised with Art Deco beading—all set for Studio 54. Inspired by the allure of a girl shrugging her "boyfriend's secondhand coat" over a skimpy dress.....Quirky, too, were the deluxe knitting bags, transformed from the prosaic via dense beading of hand-cut feather-shaped sequins. This embroidery later appeared fringing the sleeves of mini shifts—and as entrance-making jackets and coats—like "plastic fake fur," enthused Sean Lennon, who joined Stella's ever-supportive dad Paul McCartney in the audience.

On the runway this was shown topping a pair of simple black pants and nothing else underneath. This particular coat has the added distinction of being displayed in the 2014 Design Exchange exhibit "Politics of Fashion". It was a key piece and mentioned in almost every press release and article written about the exhibit.

The jacket is made of a linen base that is covered with hand placed iridescent plastic "feathers" that are arranged in an ombre pattern so that the feathers darken as they near the hem. In between the rows are tiny hand set glass beads. Each "feather" glows and catches the light and the effect when this jacket is on and you move is breathtaking. This jacket was made in very limited quantities and sold out before they even hit the shop floors. This is both an iconic piece of fashion history and an important hallmark piece of Stella's career. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in the same linen and closes with a series of hook & eye down the front.

Sleeves: 23" (add 2.5" with the feathers)
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: 21.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 22" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 27" from neck to hem (29.5" from neck to feathers)

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD2649

Reference Photo: (Runway) vogue.com

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

The color is the first thing that catches your eye. In a sea fo black vintage coats this deep green hue is a refreshing change. The double row of textured silver buttons that run down the coat and give it that fantastic military feel are the next thing to catch your eye. Those two things along with the high neat collar, pocket details and chic cut make this Normal Norell couture coat a classic that will never go out of style. Norell was particularly known for his meticulous cut, fit, and use of quality fabrics. He made clothes that lasted and this coat is absolute proof as it looks as fresh now as the day it was made. The cut of this coat is beautiful. It skims the body in a long lean line and is very flattering. It is sharply tailored and the military feel of the cut and detailing is fabulous. Immaculate in its construction, it is a stunning example of why Norell is considered one of the great American couturiers. Excellent condition

Fully lined with a green silk and buttons to close. All four pockets are functional and lined in silk. Each cuff closes with a single silver button that is functional. All the button holes, including those on the cuffs, are properly finished.

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 41.5" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# C417

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.